DCCC: The Stakeholder

TODAY IN CONGRESS: House Republicans to Pass âStudents Pay Moreâ Act

2013-05-23T13:52:54+00:00

House Republicans are set today to pass yet another bill that shows their true colors – the “Students Pay More Act” – charging students more for their college loans. House Republicans’ plan would force student loan recipients to pay thousands more in interest payments for the same exact types of loans, with the Associated Press describing how “student loan rates could steadily climb and cost students more over the long haul under the plan House Republicans are considering.” The average college graduate has $26,000 in student loan debt.

While they make student loans more expensive, Republicans refuse to end taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil companies already making record profits.

“With today’s vote, House Republicans will show yet again that they would rather subsidize big oil companies than make sure college is affordable,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Instead of solving the problem of loan rates that will double at the end of the month, House Republicans are putting a bigger burden on the backs of future students. Students already pay enough for college – but now House Republicans want them to shell out even more in crushing interest payments for the same loans. Today’s vote on increasing student loan costs over the long term is a simple question of priorities, and House Republicans are yet again standing with corporate special interests and against hardworking middle class families.”

BACKGROUND

AP: House Republican Plan Would Raise Student Loan Interest Rates Up to 8.5 Percent. According to the Associated Press: “Under the GOP proposal, student loans would be reset every year and based on 10-year Treasury notes, plus an added percentage. For instance, students who receive subsidized or unsubsidized Stafford student loans would pay the Treasury rate, plus 2.5 percentage points. Using Congressional Budget Office projections, that would translate to a 5 percent interest rate on Stafford loans in 2014, but the rate would climb to 7.7 percent for loans in 2023. Stafford loan rates would be capped at 8.5 percent, while loans for parents and graduate students would have a 10.5 percent ceiling under the GOP proposal.” [Associated Press, 5/16/13]

Headline: Republicans move forward with student loan plan that could mean higher rates later [Associated Press, 5/16/13]

Under the House Republican Plan, Graduates Would Pay Almost $5,000 More in Student Loan Interest. The Associated Press reported: “In real dollars, the GOP plan would cost students and families heavily, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The office used the CBO projections for Treasury notes’ interest rates each year. Students who max out their subsidized Stafford loans over four years would pay $8,331 in interest payments under the Republican bill, and $3,450 if rates were kept at 3.4 percent. If rates were allowed to double in July, that amount would be $7,284 over the typical 10-year window to repay the maximum $19,000.” If the Republican plan were implemented, college graduates would pay $4,881 more in interest, compared to the current rate. [Associated Press, 5/16/13]

The Average College Graduate Has $26,600 in Student Loan Debt; Total National Student Loan Debt Exceeds $1.1 Trillion. According to the Washington Post: “A recent report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimates that there 38 million student loan borrowers in the United States and the total debt load has passed $1.1 trillion. The Project on Student Debt has estimated that 66 percent of graduating college seniors in 2011 had some student loan debt, with an average balance of $26,600.” [Washington Post, 5/20/13]

CBO: Federal Government Turns $51 Billion Profit on Student Loans. According to the Huffington Post: “The Obama administration is forecast to turn a record $51 billion profit this year from student loan borrowers, a sum greater than the earnings of the nation's most profitable companies and roughly equal to the combined net income of the four largest U.S. banks by assets. Figures made public Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office show that the nonpartisan agency increased its 2013 fiscal year profit forecast for the Department of Education by 43 percent to $50.6 billion from its February estimate of $35.5 billion.” [Huffington Post, 5/14/13]

Congressman Buchanan Should Live Up to His Own Standards

2013-05-22T18:29:49+00:00

Congressman Buchanan Should Live Up to His Own Standards and Release All Documents Pertaining to His Own Financial Scandals

Scandal plagued, former used car salesman Congressman Vern Buchanan has been tapped by Republicans to help lead the investigation into the IRS, and now he’s calling for transparency – despite the fact that Congressman Buchanan has refused to release details of his own alleged “financial improprieties.”

That’s why today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is calling on Congressman Vern Buchanan to live up to his own standards and release all documents pertaining to his own financial scandals in order to maintain the credibility of the investigation. Last week, the Committee called on Congressman Buchanan to recuse himself from the investigation in light of his own history of financial scandals.

“It is time for Congressman Vern Buchanan to live up to his own standards and release all documents relating to his own financial scandals,” said David Bergstein of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Both Democrats and Republicans have called for a thorough investigation into the misconduct of the IRS, and Congressman Vern Buchanan called for transparency. But the Robber cannot guard the bank: In order to preserve the integrity of the Committee’s findings, Congressman Buchanan must release all details he has previously withheld regarding his own history of financial scandals and recuse himself from further hearings.”

BACKGROUND

Congressman Buchanan Investigated by the IRS for Alleged “Financial Improprieties.” “Federal inquiries surrounding Mr. Buchanan appear to be widening, as investigators examine allegations that his companies improperly reimbursed contributors to his campaigns and claimed improper tax deductions and that he failed to include all his varied financial interests in his Congressional disclosure reports […] agents for the F.B.I. and the Internal Revenue Service recently contacted former employees alleging financial improprieties by Mr. Buchanan, who owns a number of auto dealerships throughout Florida and elsewhere and is one of the richest members of Congress. A federal grand jury in Tampa is hearing evidence in the case as well.” [New York Times, 2/23/12]

Congressman Buchanan Refused to Release Documents Surrounding Alleged Tax Evasion and Fraud. “Buchanan has been in litigation with his former partner Sam Kazran since 2008. During the suit witness have sworn the Congressman has illegally funneled money for campaign contributions through his business and has been guilty of tax evasion and tax fraud […] While Buchanan has vigorously denied these allegations, he has refused to turn over records his ex-partner has requested through the court.” [WTSP, 4/11/3]

Congressman Renacci Attacks IRS While Still Dealing With His Own Tax Scandal

2013-05-20T17:09:31+00:00

In recent days, Congressman Jim Renacci has stepped up his attacks on the IRS, calling their behavior “completely unacceptable,” but what Congressman Renacci fails to acknowledge is that he’s currently dealing with his own tax scandal that his constituents find unacceptable. The Ohio Tax Commissioner calculated that Congressman Renacci owed $1.4 million in back taxes and penalties for misreporting millions of income, but Congressman Renacci refused to pay his bill and has demanded he get extensions to accommodate his political needs.

“It’s ironic that Congressman Renacci is attacking the IRS and calling their behavior ‘completely unacceptable’ when his own failure to pay taxes is so completely unacceptable,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “It’s unacceptable for Congressman Renacci to attack the IRS knowing he tried to shelter millions of dollars and is still trying to avoid paying the penalty for avoiding his taxes. The people of Ohio’s 16^th Congressional district expect and deserve a representative who pays his fair share in taxes – not Congressman Renacci who puts politics first.”

BACKGROUND

Renaccis Tried to Shelter Income, Assessed $1.4 Million in Taxes and Penalties. In June 2007, Renacci and his wife filed an appeal with the Board of Tax Appeals in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Appeals against a finding for an almost $1.4 million assessment for income taxes. The tax commissioner calculated $954,650 in tax; $146,938 in interest; and $293,876 in penalty. The Renaccis appealed the entire $1,395,464 assessment to the Board of Tax Appeals in June 2006. [Ninth Judicial District Court of Appeals, Case No. 07CA0061-M; Cleveland Plain Dealer, 10/19/12]

Headline: Rep. Jim Renacci is still disputing $359,822 tax penalty from 2000 [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 10/19/12]

Renacci: IRS Targeting is “Completely Unacceptable.” In May, 2013, Renacci said, “The admission from the IRS that it has been targeting conservative groups for extra scrutiny is completely unacceptable.” [Renacci press release, 5/13/13]

VIDEO: Targeting Republicans for Wasting Taxpayer Money to Put Insurance Companies in Charge

2013-05-16T22:42:56+00:00

Moments after House Republicans voted again to put insurance companies back in charge of health care, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched online advertising against 10 vulnerable House Republicans who sided with insurance giants over hardworking middle class families. The web ads – “Stop Wasting Our Money” – will run on sites frequented by young voters and point out that the House Republicans have wasted $50 million in taxpayer money to keep taking the same failed vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

“There’s no telling how much time and money House Republicans will waste on their backwards repeal effort, but Americans have lost their patience,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “If House Republicans had their way, women would go back to being charged more just for being women, Americans would go back to being denied care if they were already sick, and tax credits for small businesses would end. Americans don’t want to put insurance companies back in charge of our care, but that hasn’t stopped Republicans from making 37 costly attempts to repeal vital consumer protections. It’s clear that as long as House Republicans are in charge, they’ll keep fighting the same ideological battles and obstructing progress.”

Earlier this week, the DCCC launched automated phone calls in each district to ask Americans to urge their Member of Congress to stand up against House Republican leadership and “move forward and strengthen our health care, not join the partisans in Congress who want to put insurance companies back in charge.”

Young voters in the following districts will see the online advertising:

Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19)
Congressman Michael Grimm (NY-11)
Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03)
Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)
Congressman Gary Miller (CA-31)
Congressman Steve Pearce (NM-02)
Congressman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27)
Congressman Jon Runyan (NJ-03)
Congressman David Valadao (CA-21)
Congressman Bill Young (FL-13)

DCCC Launches Paid Grassroots Efforts Targeting Republicans for Repealing Health Care Protections

2013-05-15T14:43:54+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a grassroots action campaign with paid telephone calls in 10 districts of vulnerable House Republicans urging them to oppose the 37^th attempt to put health insurance companies back in charge of health care by repealing the Affordable Care Act. The DCCC automated phone calls ask Americans to urge their Member of Congress to stand up against House Republican leadership and “move forward and strengthen our health care, not join the partisans in Congress who want to put insurance companies back in charge.”

The calls begin today through tomorrow’s vote in 10 districts.

“Americans are crystal clear – they want Congress to solve problems, not spark ideological battles again and again,” DCCC Chairman Steve Israel said. “Once again, the Republican Congress is wasting taxpayer dollars and trying to put insurance companies back in charge of our care. The consequences are clear: fewer protections for consumers, more health-care related bankruptcies and more money for the insurance companies. We’re urging House Republicans to vote against this and start focusing on real solutions.”

A sample of the call script running against Congressman David Valadao is below:

“The Republican Congress is scheduled to vote tomorrow to put insurance companies back in charge of your health care and repeal vital consumer protections and benefits that you’ve earned.

“And your Congressman might be part of the problem. Tell Congressman Valadao to stand up for middle class families here in California - and don't help the Republican Congress give insurance companies more control over your life.

“We don’t need any more ideological wars in Washington, we need solutions that reduce health care costs and protect consumers. Sadly, Congressman Valadao might deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions, raise prescription drug costs, kick kids off their parents' health care before they turn 26 and even eliminate the cap on health care costs, forcing people into bankruptcy to take care of their families.

“That would be a devastating blow to middle class families like yours across the country.

“Call Congressman David Valadao now at 661-864-7736 and tell him to vote no. Tell him it’s time to move forward and strengthen our health care, not join the partisans in Congress who want to put insurance companies back in charge.”

Voters in the following districts will receive these calls:

Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19)

Congressman Michael Grimm (NY-11)

Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03)

Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)

Congressman Gary Miller (CA-31)

Congressman Steve Pearce (NM-02)

Congressman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27)

Congressman Jon Runyan (NJ-03)

Congressman David Valadao (CA-21)

Congressman Bill Young (FL-13)

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Problem-Solvers on âJumpstartâ

2013-05-14T13:32:42+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is highlighting the strengths of “Jumpstart” candidates in a new video today showcasing the first round members of the program. Jumpstart candidates get early financial, operational and strategic support – providing an early boost to competitive candidates in competitive districts around the country. Jumpstart was announced last week.

“Americans put a premium on sending problem solvers to this broken Republican Congress, and these Jumpstart candidates all know how to put results for the middle class ahead of partisan ideology – and they’ll all be just the antidote the American people want,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “From a former CIA analyst to a well-respected judge, Jumpstart candidates have a record of putting this country first and solving problems. We’re excited for this class of strong recruits to hit the ground running and talk with voters about how they’ll tackle the country’s problems, instead of voting in lockstep with a dysfunctional and out-of-touch Republican Congress.”

Jumpstart Round 1

This Week in Congress: Republicans Vote to Put Insurance Companies Back in Charge of Health Care

2013-05-13T20:18:31+00:00

The Republican Congress will cast the 37^th vote this week to put insurance companies back in charge of health care --- though it’s the first vote for some of the newly elected Republicans. House Republicans have Tea Party Caucus Chair Michele Bachmann as their sponsor.

Instead of finding smart reforms to our health care system, House Republicans want to refight ideological battles and take away consumer health care benefits, putting the insurance companies back in charge. They want to:

Raise prescription drug costs by re-opening the prescription drug donut hole
Deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions
End tax credits for small businesses
Kick children off their parents health care before they turn 26
Close prevention and wellness initiatives that lower costs and improve health
Eliminate the cap on health care costs and let people go back into bankruptcy because of health costs

House Republicans already voted 36 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act during the last Congress – costing the taxpayers $50 million. Republicans ran the 2012 campaign on a pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but voters re-elected President Obama, expanded the Democratic margin in the Senate and gave House Democrats the majority of the popular vote and more seats.

“Republicans claim to speak for the people, but the people spoke in the last election and Republicans just want to refight old ideological battles instead of finding solutions that strengthen middle class families,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Republicans will vote to put insurance companies back in charge of health care, raising prescription drug costs, denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, and even driving people back into bankruptcy because of health care costs. Instead of solving our health care problem, Republicans would rather play games and try to score points. Middle class families will suffer when Republicans put insurance companies back in charge.”

ABC: Congressman Southerland backing bill that would âcut worker payâ

2013-05-09T22:16:22+00:00

Congressman Steve Southerland said he’d change Washington, but all he’s done is gone Washington – and this morning WTXL caught him in the act: reporting that Congressman Steve Southerland is backing the “The Pay Working Families Less Act” which would “cut workers pay with no guarantee of paid vacation days when employees need to use them. The Pay Working Families Less Act…would allow employers to pay their workers nothing extra for overtime work other than comp time that can only be used at the employers discretion.”

See for yourself here or below.

TRANSCRIPT

“Congressman Steve Southerland is backing a bill that would cut workers pay with no guarantee of paid vacation days when employees need to use them. The Pay Working Families Less Act proposed by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor would allow employers to pay their workers nothing extra for overtime work other than comp time that can only be used at the employer's discretion. House Republicans say the bill would help working families but critics say it undermines overtime and gives workers little flexibility.”

BACKGROUND

Congressman Southerland Voted for the “Pay Working Families Less Act.” [HR 1406, Vote #137, 5/08/13]

Center for Economic and Policy Research: Bill Would “Undermine the 40-Hour Work Week” and Would Provide “Employers With a Powerful Incentive to Increase Workers’ Overtime Hours.” According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research: “The proposed legislation undermines the 40-hour work week that workers have long relied on to give them time to spend with their kids. The flexibility in this comp time bill would have employees working unpaid overtime hours beyond the 40-hour workweek and accruing as many as 160 hours of compensatory time. A low-paid worker making $10 an hour who accrued that much comp time in lieu of overtime pay would effectively give his or her employer an interest-free loan of $1,600 – equal to a month’s pay. That’s a lot to ask of a worker making about $20,000 a year. Indeed, any worker who accrues 160 hours of comp time will in effect have loaned his or her employer a month’s pay. This same arithmetic provides employers with a powerful incentive to increase workers’ overtime hours.” [The Hill, 4/08/13]

Center for Economic and Policy Research: Proposal Would “Likely Increase Overtime Hours For Those Who Don’t Want Them and Cut Pay For Those Who Do.” In an op-ed submitted to the Huffington Post a senior economist with the Center for Economic and Policy Research wrote: “Touted by Republicans as a new comp time initiative that will give hourly-paid workers the flexibility to meet family responsibilities, it is neither new nor about giving these workers much needed time off to care for their families. The bill rehashes legislation Republicans passed in the House in 1997, some 16 years ago, and that they introduced again in most subsequent Congresses. Its major effect would be to hamstring workers -- likely increasing overtime hours for those who don't want them and cutting pay for those who do.” [Huffington Post, 4/16/13]

National Partnership for Women and Families: “You Have No Ability to Take That Leave When You Need It. The Employer Can Decide.” In a statement to the Chicago Tribune, a senior advisor for the National Partnership for Women & Families said: “It should be called the Employer Flexibility Act, because at every turn here, the employer gets to decide… It pretends to provide a set of options to employees. But even if they elect to take the comp time instead of wages, when they can take it is fully at the discretion of the employer. You have no ability to take that leave when you need it. The employer can decide.” [Chicago Tribune, 4/22/13]

9to5: Bill is a “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” That Would “Ensure Workers Have Less Time, Less Flexibility and Less Money.” In a statement, the executive director of 9to5 said: “Much like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the falsely cloaked Working Families Flexibility Act would hurt, not help, families. The Working Families Flexibility Act, a true misnomer, would in reality ensure workers have less time, less flexibility and less money.” [9to5, 4/11/13]

House Republicans Have Unsuccessfully Pushed to Gut the Fair Labor Standards Act for More Than a Decade. According to New York Magazine: “Similar legislation has been bouncing around Capitol Hill for years; one recent attempt died in committee in 2003. In the past, Democrats argued that the proposed legislation would only weaken overtime rights, because the comp time will be controlled by employers, who may also discriminate against employees who want to be paid their overtime wages in cash. Democrats also have an alternate plan for making sure moms ‘don't have to choose between work and family’: Demand employers offer family-friendly leave policies and pay overtime wages.” [New York Magazine, 4/30/13]

South Carolina vote not the end of the drama

2013-05-08T19:52:28+00:00

Welcome to the Republican Congress with Mark Sanford as the newest face.

Really republicans? We're gonna get behind Mark Sanford and claim gay couples will ruin marriage. This is why young people don't vote GOP!!!
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) May 8, 2013

Gabriel Gomez distances from Sanford, says he "seems pathetic," calls him "career politician," should "get a real job" per spox
— Jim O'Sullivan (@JOSreports) May 8, 2013

Sanford was no fan of the House GOP leadership before the NRCC pulled the plug.This is about to get even more fun.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) May 8, 2013

USA TODAY: South Carolina vote not the end of the drama

Republican Mark Sanford won South Carolina's congressional special election Tuesday, but the results may not conclude the drama of a disgraced former governor on the outs with his own party.

Sanford's quest for public and political redemption after an extramarital affair succeeded with voters Tuesday, who returned him to a congressional seat he left in 2001. Sanford will fill the seat vacated when Rep. Tim Scott was appointed to the U.S. Senate in January.

On Thursday, however, Sanford will appear in a televised court hearing to answer a charge of trespassing from his former wife. Then he'll head to Washington, where he made few friends during his previous three terms in office bucking the Republican leadership.

THE HILL: Sanford victory could spell trouble for House GOP leadership

Boehner on Tuesday morning suggested that he was less than thrilled about Sanford’s potential return to the House. And while the Speaker tweeted out a quick “congrats” to Sanford with the hash-tag #jobs, a comment from his spokesman following the results was less than a bear-hug.

QUICK CLIP: Chairman Israel Says Americans Deserve a Vote on Background Checks

2013-05-01T18:10:23+00:00

QUICK CLIP: Chairman Israel Says Americans Deserve a Vote on Background Checks

On MSNBC this morning, DCCC Chairman Steve Israel called on House Republicans to stop obstructing progress on background checks to prevent gun violence and immigration reform.

Chairman Israel said, “the House of Representatives, under Republican Speaker John Boehner, is hiding behind the Senate. People deserve a vote.” He continued, “Speaker Boehner, give these Americans the vote that they deserve. It is a dereliction of duty for the House of Representatives not to bring a vote on background checks to the floor of the House. We’re being paid to vote, we ought to earn our salary.”

Watch the clip here:

Chairman Israel also discussed the failure of House Republicans to make progress on immigration reform, saying “[Senator Marco Rubio] said an immigration solution, a compromise, can’t pass the House. What can pass the House? It is another reflection of the fact that House Republicans are part of a Congress of Chronic Chaos. This is the only job in America that I know of where you’re paid not to do things, not to pass legislation, not to vote, to stall, to make everything a product of chaos and obstructionism and extremism.”

NRCC Asks Women To Ignore Anti-Women Agenda

2013-04-30T13:16:51+00:00

The National Republican Congressional Committee apparently thinks their problem with women voters is a tactical problem about outreach, not a substance problem about their agenda. Today, the NRCC launched online advertising designed to reach women voters with hopes they would forget that the Republican agenda in Congress is extreme and anti-women.

Republicans voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and blocked the Pay Equity Act. The Majority of Republicans in congress voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and they’ve repeatedly voted to strip funding for women’s health care services at Planned Parenthood – even threatening to shut down the government over it. These are the same House Republicans who even voted to redefine rape.

“House Republicans wish women voters would forget their past and ignore their agenda, but women voters are too smart for that,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “This Republican Congress has been the most extreme, anti-woman legislature in American history with an agenda to deny women equal pay, quality health care services and even domestic violence protections. If Republicans think their problem is the style of their marketing campaign - not the substance they’re selling - they’ve missed the message of the 2012 elections.”

HIGHLIGHTS: The Republican Record on Women

Republicans opposed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay which restores the rights of women and other workers to challenge unfair pay in court — by rectifying the May 2007 Ledbetter v. Goodyear Supreme Court decision that overturned precedent and made it much more difficult for workers to pursue pay discrimination claims.

Majority of Republicans voted against reauthorizing Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which provides funding to states for a variety of programs designed to combat violence against women. VAWA authorizes programs like STOP grants, Transitional Housing Assistance Grants, legal assistance for victims, amongst other programs, that help victim service providers, law enforcement, and prosecutors to keep victims from further abuse and hold perpetrators accountable. VAWA also made certain acts of domestic violence a federal crime (S.47, Vote #55, 2/28/13).

Republicans voted to strip funding for Planned Parenthood and threatened to shut down government over it. House Republicans voted to strip funding for Planned Parenthood which operates 820 health centers around the country and provides sexual and reproductive health care, education, and information to over 5 million women, men, and adolescents each year. Although only 3% of all Planned Parenthood services provided are abortions, Republicans voted to eliminate all federal funding for Planned Parenthood for FY2011, on an amendment to a FY2011 funding bill. And threatened to shut down government if it wasn’t defunded.. [Link to vote: Vote #93]; Link to vote: Vote #271]

Republicans voted to redefine rape. On March 3, 2011, all but one Republican on the House Judiciary Committee voted to redefine “rape” in federal law to include only “forcible rape.” This would have upended the long-standing definition of “rape” in federal law and denied important funding for rape victims. The Republicans’ new definition of rape would have excluded the many forms of non-forcible rape, such as statutory rape involving a female minor and an adult male — and would have prohibited such rape victims from receiving critical health care from programs such as Medicaid. [House Judiciary Committee, markup vote, H.R. 3]

Wall Street Journal: DCCC Reports Record Haul

2013-04-26T20:35:43+00:00

Wall Street Journal:

The DCCC pulled in $22.6 million, the most it has ever raised in any first quarter, while the Republicans took in $17.5 million.

Although the two congressional campaign committees are relatively close in the amount of cash they have in the bank – Democrats have $8.9 million and Republicans have $8.1 million – Democrats have only about half the amount of debt as Republicans.

Some $4.3 million came from Democratic caucus members.

The biggest factor, however, was the DCCC’s online donation performance, which brought in $4.7 million, according to the committee. That’s three times the DCCC’s online haul in the first quarter in 2012 – an election year.

A Republican Party official said the DCCC seems to have learned from President Barack Obama’s highly successful online campaign operation, adding he hoped the Republicans would crank up their own online donation efforts.

The National Republican Congressional Committee’s spokeswoman said the push by House Democrats is critical to the White House.

“The House Republican majority is the last line of defense between President Obama and cementing his liberal legacy,” said NRCC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek. “That’s why [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi has been traveling the country with Barack Obama hosting high-dollar fundraisers. We are working overtime to compete with the billion-dollar Obama-Pelosi machine.”

The DCCC responded that “small donor” donations of less than $200 are more than triple those the NRCC collected in the first quarter: $8.177 million compared with $2.508 million. DCCC Spokesman Jesse Ferguson added that 36% of its donations were small-dollar, compared with 14% of NRCC donations.

Rep. Steve Israel of New York, DCCC chairman, also played on the ongoing philosophical division within Republican ranks to explain Democrats’ fundraising success. “The dysfunction and chaos of this Republican Congress has driven business leaders and grassroots online supporters alike to invest in fixing the broken Congress,” he said.

Watch: DCCC TV Ad—Mark Sanford Broke Our Trust

2013-04-25T17:22:27+00:00

SC-01 SPECIAL ELECTION: MAY 7TH
There are just 12 days until Election Day in South Carolina's 1st district. Elizabeth Colbert Busch could pull off a huge victory in one of the reddest districts in the country -- and you’re helping to make it happen! With your help, we crushed our goal and are fighting Republican Mark Sanford’s deceptive ads with the facts.

Check out the ad you helped us put on the air:

Your grassroots power sent a panicking Mark Sanford running to the papers. He literally took out a full-page, 1,200 word ad whining about our TV ad calling him out on his record.

Washington Post:

Sanford then used the rest of the full-page ad to whine about his other campaign travails and beg for money. “I’d like to take all I have learned and apply it to fixing things, but I’m outgunned, outmanned, and outspent by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee [DCCC] and Nancy Pelosi’s PAC,” he wrote. Sanford also gives out his personal cell phone number so that he can rebut ethics allegations made against him made by the DCCC.

In a district as red as this one – Mitt Romney won it by 18 points! – we can’t let one day go by without calling out the Republicans' smears and fighting back with the facts. That is exactly what you have helped us do, so thank you!

This election all depends on voter turnout. Will you help us call voters and remind them to get out to the polls? Join the online phone bank right now by clicking here >>

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Congresswoman Bachmannâs Growing Ethics Problems

2013-04-25T14:09:00+00:00

Following news that Congresswoman Bachmann’s staff has released an affidavit confirming an Iowa state Senator was paid to work on Bachmann’s presidential campaign – a possible violation of Iowa ethics rules -- the DCCC unveiled a new video highlighting how Bachmann is running from her growing ethics investigations. According to media reports, Bachmann is being investigated by the bipartisan Office of Congressional Ethics over allegations that her campaign stole and used an email list, paid staffers under the table, and used her campaign to improperly promote her failed book.

“Congresswoman Bachmann is running from questions about the growing bipartisan ethics investigation because she knows these investigations are another example of failing to get the job done for Minnesota,” said Brandon Lorenz of the DCCC. “Minnesota voters are going to show little patience with Congresswoman Bachmann’s distractions as she continues to court national headlines at the expense of middle class families.”

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is Running…

BACKGROUND:

The Office of Congressional Ethics is Investigating Bachmann. In 2013, ABC News reported that “Federal investigators are probing allegations that Rep. Michele Bachmann, or members of her staff, inappropriately used money raised during her presidential campaign, her lawyer and former campaign staffers said today.” [ABC News, 3/25/13]

FEC is Investigating Bachmann’s Relationship With Her Fundraising Firm. In 2013, the MinnPost reported that C&M Strategies’ relationship with the Bachmann campaign was also “the subject of a Federal Elections Commission investigation relating to alleged under-the-table payments made during the presidential campaign.” [MinnPost, 4/22/13]

Former Bachmann Presidential Campaign Staffer: Bachmann Aide “Received Money Under the Table for His Support.” In 2013, ABC News reported that Peter Waldron alleged that Bachmann's onetime Iowa campaign chair, state Sen. Kent Sorenson, “received money under the table for his support. Sorenson's position in the Legislature prohibits him from receiving payments from the campaign.” [ABC News, 3/25/13]

Bachmann’s Former Chief Of Staff Swore She “Knew Of And Approved” Paying Aide with Third Party PAC Money. In 2013, MPR News reported, “Andy Parrish, Bachmann's former chief of staff and longtime aide, swore in an affidavit that Bachmann ‘knew of and approved’ paying Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson via another political action committee controlled by Bachmann. Iowa Senate ethics rules forbid lawmakers from accepting employment from political campaigns.” [MPR News, 4/22/13]

DCCC Outraises NRCC, Record-Breaking First Quarter

2013-04-22T20:18:14+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dominated first quarter fundraising with a record-breaking $22.6 million – outraising the NRCC by $5.1 million despite being in the minority. The DCCC has half as much debt as the NRCC ($8.3 million for the NRCC to $4.5 million for the DCCC) and more cash-on-hand than the NRCC ($8.9 million for the DCCC to $8.1 million for the NRCC). The DCCC raised $4.7 M from online donors and $4.3 M from Democratic Members with over 50 percent of Members participating including 92 percent of freshmen.

DCCC breaks fundraising record [Politico, 4/22/13]
- DCCC outraises NRCC in first quarter by $5.1M [The Hill, 4/19/13]
- DCCC raises $22.6M in record first quarter [The Hill, 4/18/13]
- DCCC Reaps Record Rewards From Freshmen [National Journal, 4/16/13]
- DCCC Raises $10 Million, NRCC Raises $8 Million in March [Roll Call, 4/20/2013]
- Democrats raise $22.6M for House races [USA Today, 4/18/2013]
- DCCC Sets Fundraising Record With $22.6 Million In First Quarter [The Huffington Post, 4/18/2013]
- DCCC raises $10.2 million in March [The Washington Post, 4/18/2013]
- Members Cough Up $4.3M for DCCC [Roll Call, 4/17/2013]

Side-by-side Comparison

Q1 2013	DCCC	NRCC
Q1 (QTD) Receipts	$22.6 M	$17.5 M
March (MTD) Receipts	$10.2 M	$8.1 M
COH	$8.9 M	$8.1 M
Debt	$4.5 M	$8.3 M

DCCC Launches Online âYou Deserve A Voteâ Ads on Gun Violence Prevention

2013-04-22T17:22:26+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched “You Deserve A Vote” paid online advertising today calling on Republicans in Congress to end their obstruction and allow a vote on commonsense gun violence prevention measures, including background checks that more than 80% of Americans support. The advertising directs supporters to a petition at DCCC.org/background-checks where they can make their voice heard demanding a vote. So far, Speaker Boehner has refused to guarantee a House vote on a commonsense compromise for background checks that received the support of a bipartisan Majority in the United States Senate.

“Overwhelming majorities of the American people want a vote on commonsense gun violence prevention like background checks but House Republicans continue to obstruct the will of the American people,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Democrats are engaging grassroots supporters to demand that House Republicans stop kowtowing to a tiny, extreme minority and allow a vote on gun violence prevention.”

The online petition is available here: DCCC.org/background-checks.

The following ads will begin running today:

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Early âProblem Solversâ Running Against Partisan House Republicans

2013-04-10T15:17:17+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today unveiled a new video highlighting early candidates who are running as “problem solvers” to defeat the ideological and dysfunctional House Republicans. The video shows each of these Democrats’ campaign announcements where they share compelling backgrounds that resonate with voters, pledge to be problem-solvers, and commit to creating new jobs, strengthening the middle class, and protecting seniors.

“House Republicans have shown time and time again that they’re unwilling to compromise and would rather put their partisan agenda and ideology ahead of doing what’s right for the American people,” said DCCC Chairman Steve Israel. “There is a committed group of problem solving Democrats stepping forward to run for Congress because they are focused on solutions that will reduce our deficit, strengthen the middle class, and protect seniors. Republicans in Congress are unwilling to solve problems, so they’ve become the problem.”

Problem Solving Candidates, Part 1

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on Equal Pay Day

2013-04-08T20:50:06+00:00

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on Equal Pay Day tomorrow, which symbolizes just how far into the year women must work to earn as much as men did the previous year:

“Equal Pay Day is an annual reminder of the broken system where women have to work longer to earn the same pay as a man. It is fundamentally wrong that in this day and age, women still earn less than men earn for the same work and it is disgraceful that House Republicans continue to block equal pay legislation.

“House Republicans opposed the landmark Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and now continue to block the Paycheck Fairness Act that would put more money into families’ pockets right when they need it the most. While House Democrats stand up for women and their families, House Republicans remain stuck in the past.”

GOP Gives Up On Extremism, Learns from 2012 Election

2013-04-01T18:23:16+00:00

April Fools!

Raul Labrador Silent on Racial Slur From Alaska Congressman [Boise Weekly, 3/30/13]

Michigan RNC Member Has "Reams of Studies" on How the Gay Lifestyle Will Hurt You [Slate, 3/31/13]

Georgia GOP Chair Warns That Straight People Will Enter Sham Gay Marriages For Benefits [TPM, 4/1/13]

Congressman Claims Immigrants Are Turning America Into A ‘Sinking Ship’ [Think Progress, 4/1/13]

Republican Congressman Refers to Latinos as "Wetbacks" [ABC News/Univision, 3/28/13]

Michigan RNC official 'won't back down' after anti-gay post [Detroit News, 3/29/13]

Cramer, North Dakota Congressman, Regrets Berating Native American Counselors [Huffington Post, 3/28/13]

Conservative Group Calls Science Behind Sexual Orientation "Nazi" Propaganda [BuzzFeed, 3/28/13]

A Very White Republican Leadership Plans Minority Outreach [BuzzFeed, 3/28/13]

VIDEO: House Republicans Aren’t Going to Like This…

2013-04-01T17:32:36+00:00

Take a look at how your grassroots support is helping us hold House Republicans accountable for their radical agenda:

2012 Was Just The Beginning

When House Republicans voted for Paul Ryan's Republican budget this year, we thought we'd send them a useful reminder of what happened in 2012: Voters sent 16 of their colleagues home.

So, here’s a highlight reel of the greatest hits that led to those defeats – every single one focused on the wrong priorities of the Republican budget, all 16 of them successful.

Robin Hood in Reverse

Republicans say their budget is the best way to communicate their 'governing philosophy,' so we're telling the people what that means: more for millionaires and corporate special interests, less for the middle class and seniors. This morning, we launched online ads in 17 vulnerable Republican districts with a new web video highlighting the radical, out-of-touch Republican budget.

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel introduced our new ad campaign this morning on MSNBC:

Be the first to see our new videos: Subscribe to our YouTube channel >>

Thanks again for making all of this all possible! If you agree that we shouldn't destroy Medicare to hand out more tax breaks to millionaires, sign our petition today.

QUICK CLIP: On Immigration Reform, Chairman Israel Says Senate Has to Cross T’s and Dot I’s

2013-04-01T15:54:56+00:00

On MSNBC’s Jansing and Co. this morning, DCCC Chairman Steve Israel called for House Republicans to end their extremism and inflexibility on immigration reform, and join Democrats and the bipartisan group of senators in solving real problems for Americans.

Chairman Israel said, “In the Senate it sounds like they’re still dotting some I’s and crossing their T’s; in the House, Republicans are going to have to decide, do they want to cross their base, do they want to cross their Tea Party Extremist base? [...] Only House Republicans can stop it now. […] So far, they have not shown an ability to compromise. They are inflexible, they are chaotic, they put politics ahead of solutions. If they continue down that route, then I’m less optimistic. They have to make a fundamental decision—do they want to be problem-solvers, or do they want to continue to be part of the problem on this and other issues?”

Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJPWlxyQAN4&feature=youtu.be

Chairman Israel continued: “The Republicans after this election, I would have thought the fever would have broke. They did autopsies, they did post-mortems, they said we realize that Americans think that we’re inflexible and intolerant. We have to go through this extreme makeover. And what happens after that extreme makeover? You have Don Young using the worst kind of vilification against Latinos, you have a Congressman from Pennsylvania today saying that he will oppose any compromise on immigration. They are who they are—they’ve got to decide, do they want to solve problems, or continue to be the voice and the face of extremism, intolerance, and instability in this country?”

VIDEO: DCCC Launches Online Advertising Campaign in 17 Districts

2013-04-01T14:33:44+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching paid online advertising in 17 vulnerable Republican districts today with a new web video advertisement that highlights the radical, out-of-touch Republican budget. Instead of backing a solutions-based budget that responsibly cuts the deficit, Republicans voted for Republican Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s partisan budget that includes higher taxes for the middle class, bigger health care bills for seniors on Medicare, more expensive student loans with a tax break for millionaires and Big Oil companies.

AARP said that this budget “shifts costs onto seniors and future retirees” and is “removing the Medicare guarantee of affordable health coverage seniors have contributed to through a lifetime of hard work.”
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that “families with children that have incomes below $200,000 would have to face tax increases averaging more than $3,000 a year,” potentially losing middle class benefits like the mortgage interest deduction while millionaires will still have “an average net tax cut of about $245,000.”

Congressman Valadao's Radical Budget: Robin Hood in Reverse

“Middle class families want solutions that reduce the deficit and are fair to the middle class, but Republicans in Congress voted for more partisan ideology instead,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Republicans say this budget is the best way to communicate their ‘governing philosophy,’ so we’re telling the people what that means: more for millionaires and corporate special interests, less for the middle class and seniors. That might be the Republican Congress’s governing philosophy – but it certainly isn’t the right philosophy for America’s middle class.”

A similar version of this video advertising is now running in the following districts

AR-02 Tim Griffin

AR-04 Tom Cotton

CA-21 David Valadao

CA-31 Gary Miller

CO-06 Mike Coffman

IN-08 Larry Bucshon

MN-02 John Kline

MN-03 Erik Paulsen

NE-02 Lee Terry

NJ-03 Jon Runyan

NY-11 Michael Grimm

NY-23 Tom Reed

OH-14 David Joyce

OH-16 Jim Renacci

PA-08 Mike Fitzpatrick

VA-02 Scott Rigell

WA-03 Jaime Herrera Beutler

DCCC Releases New Video â âRadical Republican Budget: Robin Hood in Reverseâ

2013-03-26T13:24:59+00:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today is continuing the drumbeat against House Republicans who voted for the radical Republican budget, releasing a new web video to highlight the chasm between mainstream Americans’ priorities and House Republicans’ radical approach. In the video – “Radical Republican Budget: Robin Hood in Reverse” – Republicans describe the budget as the best way to communicate their “governing philosophy.” The video goes on to show this governing philosophy in clear terms: higher taxes for the middle class, bigger medical bills for seniors on Medicare, more expensive student loans and a tax break for millionaires.

Under the radical Republican budget, middle class Americans could pay $3,000 more in taxes and the Medicare guarantee will end, forcing seniors to pay more for their care – but millionaires will get a $245,000 tax cut.

“Radical Republican Budget: Robin Hood in Reverse”

“Republicans themselves tell us that their budget is the best way to communicate their ‘governing philosophy’ and that’s exactly what they did – more for millionaires and corporate special interests, less for the middle class and seniors,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Americans rejected the philosophy of this radical Republican budget in the last election because it ends the Medicare guarantee for seniors and asks the middle class to pay more – all while cutting taxes for millionaires and corporate special interests. It might be the Republicans’ governing philosophy but it isn’t the right philosophy for America’s middle class.”

Bachmannâs Back

2013-03-21T20:40:29+00:00

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is up to her old tricks – lies to get national attention instead of solutions for the people of her district.

After a series of stories noting Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s absence from the national scene after her near loss in 2012, the former Presidential candidate reemerged with a bang. In an outrageous claim, Bachmann is now channeling her best Sarah Palin and saying that the Affordable Care Act “literally kills” people.

“Congresswoman Bachmann’s need to grab national headlines at every turn should remind voters that she’d rather be a Washington right-wing celebrity than solve problems facing Minnesota’s middle class,” said Brandon Lorenz of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Congresswoman Bachmann’s fact-free speeches might make good fodder for rightwing blogs and fundraising but they won’t get anything done for the people of Minnesota, who clearly signaled last year they’ve had enough. Congresswoman Bachmann should apologize for telling these outrageous lies and instead focus on getting the job done for Minnesota families.”

Bachmann even received two “Pants on Fire” ratings from non-partisan Politifact and Four Pinocchio’s from the Washington Post fact checker for some of her other recent comments. When confronted about these type of fact-free statements by CNN, she fled from the interview.

Star Tribune: Michele Bachmann is back in the headlines

City Pages (Minneapolis): Michele Bachmann: Obamacare "literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens" [VIDEO]

WaPo: Bachmann: Obamacare ‘literally kills’ people

QUICK CLIP: After Republican Budget Passes, Chairman Israel Calls for a Solutions-Based Budget

2013-03-21T19:35:12+00:00

QUICK CLIP: After Republican Budget Passes, Chairman Israel Calls for a Solutions-Based Budget

On MSNBC’s News Nation this afternoon, just after House Republicans pushed through another radical budget, DCCC Chairman Steve Israel called for a solutions-based plan that takes a balanced approach, protects the middle class and invests in the right priorities.

Chairman Israel said: “When Paul Ryan – in that footage that we just saw – says that they want to balance the budget and we don’t, either he’s not listening or he’s purposely evading the truth. We both want a balanced budget; the issue is, how do you balance it? Democrats believe we should have a solutions-based budget that does three things. Number one: that it takes a balanced approach to reducing debt, because we’ve got to reduce debt. Number two: that is fair to the middle class. Their budget is completely unfair to the middle class. Number three: that invests in the right priorities, the smart priorities. Their budget completely divests from the right priorities.”

Watch here: http://youtu.be/5G78LVP9j7I

Chairman Israel continued: “The bottom line is this: when times are tough and a family is sitting at their table trying to figure out what to cut, you know, they have a choice: do we cut going to an expensive restaurant, or do we cut sending our children to college? Democrats believe you cut going to the expensive restaurant and you keep investing in education. What this Republican budget says is: no, let's keep going to the expensive restaurant. And that restaurant is handouts to big oil companies, continued loopholes for special interests. [...] Those are the budgets that we ought to pass and those are the budgets that most Americans agree with.”

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on Elizabeth Colbert Buschâs Victory in the Primary

2013-03-20T19:26:10+00:00

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement congratulating Elizabeth Colbert Busch, who will be the Democratic nominee in the special election in South Carolina’s 1^st Congressional District.

“Congratulations to Elizabeth Colbert Busch on her victory. Elizabeth is an accomplished professional in education and business who has a record of problem solving and bringing diverse groups together to create jobs.

“The people of South Carolina are tired of this Congress’s extreme ideology and dysfunction; Elizabeth Colbert Busch offers a breath of fresh air, standing on the side of sensible solutions that strengthen the middle class.”

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Names Additional DCCC National Leadership for the 2014 Cycle

2013-03-20T19:24:43+00:00

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel announced today the remainder of the broad and diverse leadership team to guide the committee through the 2014 election cycle. Chairman Israel has previously announced National Chairs, Frontline and Recruitment leadership, the Latino Council and Women LEAD.

Chairman Israel rounded out the leadership team today with the Tribal Council, New Americas Council, LGBT Council, Labor Council and Defense Council for the 2013-2014 cycle.

“The men and women in our leadership represent every corner of this great country, and we’re so proud that our caucus truly reflects what America looks like,” Chairman Israel said. “Thanks to our diversity and commitment to the middle class, we won more votes than Republicans in 2012 – and looking ahead to 2014, the leaders of our Tribal Council, New Americas Council, LGBT Council, Labor Council, Defense Council, Latino Council and Women LEAD will continue to broaden our appeal to all Americans.”

Tribal Council Chairs will lead outreach to Native American communities:

Representative Xavier Becerra, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus
Representative Dan Kildee
Representative Ben Ray Lujàn
Representative Gwen Moore

New Americas Council Chairs will lead outreach efforts to immigrant communities and other new Americans – critical parts of the Rising American Electorate that is crucial to Democrats’ success in 2014.

Representative Keith Ellison
Representative Ami Bera

LGBT Council Chairs will lead outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community:

Representative David Cicilline
Representative Jared Polis, National Chair for Candidate Services
Representative Mark Pocan
Representative Mark Takano

Labor Council Chairs will lead outreach to the labor community:

Representative George Miller
Representative Mark Pocan

Defense Council Chairs will lead outreach to the defense community:

Representative Adam Smith
Representative Pete Visclosky

Chairman Israel has previously announced:

Four National Chairs:

Representative Jared Polis, National Chair for Candidate Services
Representative Jim Himes, National Finance Chair
Democratic Caucus Vice-Chair Representative Joe Crowley, DC Finance Chair
Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, National Mobilization Chair

DCCC Committee Chairs:

Representative Tim Walz, Frontline Program
Representative Donna Edwards, Recruitment Committee
Representative Gary Peters, Vice Chair of Recruitment Committee
Representatives Richard Neal and Terri Sewell, Vice Chairs of Finance and Chairs of the Business Council

Women LEAD Chairs:

Representative Chellie Pingree
Representative Lois Frankel

Latino Council Chairs:

Representative Henry Cuellar
Representative Ben Ray Lujàn

The DCCC National Chairs and the Committee leadership work closely with DCCC Chairman Israel, Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Leadership and the Caucus to plan and execute strategies that will ensure House Democrats’ success in 2014.

VIDEO: Guess Whoâs Coming to Dinner Tonight with House Republicans?

2013-03-20T19:19:06+00:00

House Republicans are holding their big annual fundraiser tonight, but their headliner recently had some choice words to describe their dysfunction.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said: “We’re not here speaking on behalf of Republicans on the Hill. We’re speaking on behalf of Republican governors. The difference is we’re providing leadership.”

So the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today released a video questioning whether Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker will be so honest tonight.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

“Governor Scott Walker told the truth about House Republicans when he bluntly called them out for failing to lead, but there are no signs that House Republicans intend to listen,” said Emily Bittner of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “In fact, House Republicans are poised to vote on a budget that is a giveaway to the wealthy and special interest corporations and asks middle class families and seniors to pay even more. At tonight’s dinner, will Governor Walker deliver some straight talk to the House Republicans or will he paper over their dysfunction and chaos?”

Governor Walker is hardly alone in his critique of the House Republicans’ dysfunction and extremism. This week, even the Republican National Committee released a report that described the federal wing of the party as “ideologically rigid […] unable to speak to a wide electorate and increasingly viewed by voters as indifferent to the struggles of average people.”

VIDEO: 2012 Was Just The Beginning

2013-03-19T12:05:19+00:00

By: Jesse Ferguson, DCCC Deputy Executive Director and Communications Director

As House Republicans prepare to pass the Republican (Ryan) budget this week, we thought it would be a useful reminder of what happened when they did the same thing in 2012: Voters sent 16 of their colleagues home – thanks to their relentless support of this out-of-touch radical budget instead of solutions for the middle class.

So, here’s a highlight reel of the greatest hits that led to those defeats – every single one focused on the wrong priorities of the Republican budget, every single one aimed directly at vulnerable Republicans, all 16 of them successful.

This is just a taste of what’s to come. The issue of the this budget is only going to be more potent in 2014 – when the election is a referendum on this Tea Party Republican Congress.

Americans want real, balanced and fair budget solutions. Unfortunately, House Republicans will vote this week for Ryan’s budget - which would end the Medicare guarantee for seniors and replace it with a voucher that costs seniors more. At the same time, they'll lower the top income tax rate from 39.6 percent to 25 percent – providing a $200,000 tax cut for millionaires and potentially raising taxes $2,000 on the middle class.

In fact, Republican Leader Eric Cantor’s SuperPAC just released polling that warns Republicans against exactly this kind of budget. Politico reported that Cantor’s group “warns conservatives against adopting an all-spending cuts, all-the-time message,” and that the group’s poll showed “less than half [of respondents] are enthusiastic about changing the system immediately in order to balance the budget over a decade.” And the new Republican National Committee report warns that the Republican Party is seen as the party of ‘stuffy old men’ – the same people whose taxes they’re cutting.

Political expert Larry Sabato and others have identified the severe political threat this budget poses for House Republicans again this year. Said Sabato: “Ryan must be doing this because he really believes in it…There’s certainly no political explanation for it that makes sense. His budget is a field day for Democrats.”

But his budget is a tragedy for hardworking Americans – and that’s why we’ll try to stop it at every turn.

Watch now - http://youtu.be/6PcTaV66kgw

Ryanâs Republican Budget: They Didnât Build This

2013-03-18T14:22:56+00:00

As House Republicans tout their extreme Tea Party budget this week, keep in mind – they really didn’t build this.

In the latest proof that their budget isn’t a serious proposal to solve the challenges facing the country, Republican Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s new budget is built on major measures that Tea Party House Republicans say they oppose. Most Tea Party Republicans voted against a fiscal cliff deal, they opposed health care reform and they continue to campaign saying they oppose the sequester. However, without those three elements, the House Republican budget unravels.

The Facts On Ryan’s Dishonest Budget:

Uses Higher Revenue from Fiscal Cliff Negotiation. “Ryan said the budget proposal will get $600 billion in additional revenue from higher taxes in the fiscal cliff law (PL 112-240) and would cut the rate of spending growth by about $5 trillion over 10 years.” [Roll Call, 3/10/13]

Two-thirds of House Republicans Voted Against the Fiscal Cliff Deal. [HR 8, Vote #659, 1/01/13]

Uses Medicare Savings From Health Care Reform. Ryan’s budget proposal also would repeal the 2010 health care overhaul (PL 111-148, PL 111-152), but it would maintain the law’s $716 billion in Medicare cost cuts. That became a controversial point during the 2012 presidential race when Ryan, as the Republican vice presidential nominee, criticized the Obama administration for the projected cuts in Medicare spending. [Roll Call, 3/10/13]

Which Ryan Wants To Repeal. Headline: “Ryan says House GOP budget will include Obamacare repeal.” “We believe that Obamacare is a program that will not work,” Ryan said on Fox News Sunday. [CNN, 3/10/13]

And Campaigned Against. “In other words, Ryan and Republican leaders started off opposing the ACA’s Medicare cuts, then turned around and twice passed budgets that kept them, then campaigned against those cuts in the 2012 election, and are now embracing them again.” [TPMDC, 3/11/13]

Uses Cuts from Sequestration. He said the more ambitious timetable would “not really” require much deeper cuts than those outlined previously, because of recent events. They include […] budget sequestration that took effect this month. [Washington Post, 3/10/13]

Boehner: “I Don’t Like the Sequester.” “Let me make clear: I don’t like the sequester,” Boehner said. “I think it’s taking a meat ax to our government, a meat ax to many programs and it will weaken our national defense. That’s why I fought to not have the sequester in the first place. But the president didn’t want to have to deal with the debt limit again before his reelection.” [Politico, 2/06/13]

Ryan Predicted That Sequestration Would Be “Devastating.” “In this battleground state where defense is an essential part of the economy, Paul Ryan brought up the looming issue of $500 billion in defense cuts, also known as sequestration, for the first time since he joined Mitt Romney’s ticket. He accused the president of being behind the “devastating cuts.” [ABC News, 8/17/12]

Uses Revenue from Health Care Reform. The conservative Heritage Foundation wrote that the Ryan budget “keeps the tax increases associated with Obamacare.” The Washington Post reported that “What is less well-noticed is that Ryan also pocketed the taxes raised by the president’s health-care plan, a.k.a. ‘Obamacare,’ while at the same time pledging to repeal the law to generate significant budget savings.” [Washington Post, 3/13/13]

Ryan Claims that his Budget Repeals Health Care Reform. In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, New York Magazine reported that Paul Ryan “confirmed that his budget assumes Obamacare will be repealed. [New York Magazine, 3/11/13]

DCCC: The Stakeholder

TODAY IN CONGRESS: House Republicans to Pass âStudents Pay Moreâ Act

Congressman Buchanan Should Live Up to His Own Standards

Congressman Renacci Attacks IRS While Still Dealing With His Own Tax Scandal

VIDEO: Targeting Republicans for Wasting Taxpayer Money to Put Insurance Companies in Charge

DCCC Launches Paid Grassroots Efforts Targeting Republicans for Repealing Health Care Protections

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Problem-Solvers on âJumpstartâ

This Week in Congress: Republicans Vote to Put Insurance Companies Back in Charge of Health Care

ABC: Congressman Southerland backing bill that would âcut worker payâ

South Carolina vote not the end of the drama

QUICK CLIP: Chairman Israel Says Americans Deserve a Vote on Background Checks

NRCC Asks Women To Ignore Anti-Women Agenda

Wall Street Journal: DCCC Reports Record Haul

Watch: DCCC TV Ad—Mark Sanford Broke Our Trust

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Congresswoman Bachmannâs Growing Ethics Problems

DCCC Outraises NRCC, Record-Breaking First Quarter

DCCC Launches Online âYou Deserve A Voteâ Ads on Gun Violence Prevention

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Early âProblem Solversâ Running Against Partisan House Republicans

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on Equal Pay Day

GOP Gives Up On Extremism, Learns from 2012 Election

VIDEO: House Republicans Aren’t Going to Like This…

2012 Was Just The Beginning

Robin Hood in Reverse

QUICK CLIP: On Immigration Reform, Chairman Israel Says Senate Has to Cross T’s and Dot I’s

VIDEO: DCCC Launches Online Advertising Campaign in 17 Districts

DCCC Releases New Video â âRadical Republican Budget: Robin Hood in Reverseâ

Bachmannâs Back

QUICK CLIP: After Republican Budget Passes, Chairman Israel Calls for a Solutions-Based Budget

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on Elizabeth Colbert Buschâs Victory in the Primary

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Names Additional DCCC National Leadership for the 2014 Cycle

VIDEO: Guess Whoâs Coming to Dinner Tonight with House Republicans?

VIDEO: 2012 Was Just The Beginning

Ryanâs Republican Budget: They Didnât Build This

TODAY IN CONGRESS: House Republicans to Pass âStudents Pay Moreâ Act

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Problem-Solvers on âJumpstartâ

ABC: Congressman Southerland backing bill that would âcut worker payâ

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Congresswoman Bachmannâs Growing Ethics Problems

DCCC Launches Online âYou Deserve A Voteâ Ads on Gun Violence Prevention

VIDEO: DCCC Highlights Early âProblem Solversâ Running Against Partisan House Republicans

DCCC Releases New Video â âRadical Republican Budget: Robin Hood in Reverseâ

Bachmannâs Back

DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on Elizabeth Colbert Buschâs Victory in the Primary

VIDEO: Guess Whoâs Coming to Dinner Tonight with House Republicans?

Ryanâs Republican Budget: They Didnât Build This